Insights

HMA Insights: Your source for healthcare news, ideas and analysis.

HMA Insights – including our new podcast – puts the vast depth of HMA’s expertise at your fingertips, helping you stay informed about the latest healthcare trends and topics. Below, you can easily search based on your topic of interest to find useful information from our podcast, blogs, webinars, case studies, reports and more.

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271 Results found.

Brief & Report

Learning from COVID-19-related flexibilities: moving toward more person-centered Medicare and Medicaid programs

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A new person-centered assessment framework and issue brief, authored by HMA experts in conjunction with Manatt Health, examine the temporary regulatory Medicare and Medicaid flexibilities implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) and aimed at ensuring access to care for older adults and people with chronic conditions and disabilities.

As these temporary flexibilities are currently set to expire in April 2022, the report provides insight and guidance for policymakers as they assess the impact these regulatory policy changes are having on advancing person- and community-centered care and consider possible permanence of these changes.

The framework is designed to help facilitate these conversations and decisions and assess the potential for continuation of the regulatory flexibilities to advance person- and community-centered care, facilitate access to care in the least intensive or least restrictive setting, and better align Medicare and Medicaid program rules.

HMA colleagues Jennifer Podulka, Yamini Narayan, and Keyan Javadi contributed to the framework and research.

Brief & Report

Issue brief examines greater flexibility for primary care models

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An issue brief released today outlines new Medicare payment models that offer greater flexibility and aim to shift more care to primary care models, moves that can improve quality and reduce costs. HMA authors, Jennifer Podulka, Yamini Narayan, and Lynea Holmes found the two newest primary care payment models, Global and Professional Direct Contracting (which will be re-branded as Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) beginning January 1, 2023) and Primary Care First offer more flexibility than previously released approaches and represent a promising step forward for primary care.

The report, Increasing Medicare’s Investment in Primary Care, also notes that to increase the likelihood that models achieve overall cost savings and/or quality improvement, one option for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is to test approaches that place greater value on primary care and give primary care providers greater flexibility to tailor care for people outside of a fee-for-service system. These changes could improve people’s access to care, the quality of care received, and quality of life.

Blog

CMS to accept applications for new Medicare ACO REACH model

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This week our In Focus section reviews the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Innovation Center’s newly announced model – Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH). CMS will accept applications from organizations interested in participating and is particularly interested in partnering with provider-led organizations and similar groups with direct patient care experience and a strong track record serving underserved populations that focus on primary care to better manage Medicare beneficiaries’ health. Applications are due by April 22, 2022.

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Webinar

Webinar replay: summary and implications of the 2023 Medicare Advantage advance notice

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This webinar was held on February 22, 2022. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the 2023 Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C/D Payment Policies, which proposes important changes in plan payments, risk adjustment, Star Ratings, and other key financial and regulatory requirements for 2023.

During this webinar, consultants from Wakely Consulting Group, an HMA Company, provided an overview of the proposed changes, with an emphasis on the likely impact that the new rates and policies will have on Medicare Advantage bids, membership growth, quality, and strategy. Speakers also touched on other recent public statements from federal regulators that could point to additional future changes for Medicare Advantage plans.

Learning Objectives 

  • Understand how the proposals in the Advance Notice will impact Medicare Advantage payment rates in 2023.
  • Learn about updates to payment models and risk-adjustment methodologies, including a new effort to engage Medicare Advantage plans in value-based models that transform care.
  • Find out how new initiatives to account for how well plans address equity and social determinants of health will impact Star Ratings.
  • Understand the growth prospects for Medicare Advantage, including a look at how COVID-19 continues to affect plan membership growth, financial risk, and profitability.

HMA Speakers

Thomas Grivakis, Senior Consulting Actuary, Wakely

Rachel Stewart, Consulting Actuary, Wakely

Blog

CMS payment notice signals shift in COVID-19 policies for Medicare Advantage, Part D

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This week our In Focus section reviews the Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2023 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on February 1, 2022. The Advance Notice includes proposed updates to MA payment rates and guidance to plan sponsors as they prepare their bids for CY 2023. It also shows CMS’ updates to Part D benefit parameters. Comments are due by 6:00 PM EST on March 4, 2022. The final Rate Announcement will be published by April 4, 2022.

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Blog

CMS seeks new direction for Medicare Advantage and Part D on health equity and dual eligible integration

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This week, our In Focus section highlights the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs for contract year 2023 and how these changes may impact plan applications, bid submissions, and market dynamics for future years. The analysis and insight reflect the combined expertise of HMA and its companies including the Wakely Consulting Group and The Moran Company.

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Blog

CMS changes boost overall Medicare Advantage star ratings

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This week, our In Focus section highlights a Wakely white paper titled, CMS Changes to the Medicare Advantage Star Rating Program Drive Significant Increases to Overall Star Ratings. Authored by Suzanna-Grace Sayre and Dani Cronick and published January 2022, this paper outlines the CMS modifications to the 2022 Star Ratings due to COVID-19, quantifies the estimated impact on 2023 MA spending, and discusses how these changes could influence the MA market in 2023.

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Brief & Report

HMA experts evaluate differences between Medicare Advantage and Fee-For-Service Medicare responses to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

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In a new report released by the Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), HMA colleagues Zach Gaumer and Elaine Henry concluded that the greater flexibility of the Medicare Advantage plan model enabled plans to offer providers additional support during 2020 that were not found within the Fee-For-Service (FFS) Medicare program. The report’s findings were previewed in a recent panel discussion during the BMA’s Medicare Advantage Summit. 

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